We spend a ton of time helping our participants make the most persuasive argument possible, and are constantly hearing presentations seeking approvals, alignment, resources or a sale of some kind. And in many cases, we are helping our youngest clients advocate for themselves in a job interview. All of us need to be good advocates — for our ideas, our projects, our products, ourselves. No matter what our role is within our company, and especially if we are trying to get launched in our career, we need to be good at making compelling, persuasive message plans.
But regardless of the kind of persuasive argument you might be trying to make, there are a a few universal truths we all need to keep in mind. If we want to make our most persuasive argument, we need to do a few things… make a clear ask… detail what is involved in the ask… show what the business case (i.e. the cost and the potential return) for that ask is… AND also show what the cost is for not doing what you are asking for or recommending.
In other words, we need to paint a complete picture, of the upside and the downside, of the cost of saying “yes” and the cost of saying “no.”
Make sure you are giving a realistic view of what the opportunity could mean, but also make sure to spend some time showing the cost of what NOT taking advantage could mean. Make sure to demonstrate the market share your new idea might generate, but also the cost to market share of saying “no.” Make sure to show clearly how much budget increase you are requesting, and how it will be spent. But also show what the implications of not increasing the budget will be.
Be the person who can show the full spectrum of the idea.
Be the person who can argue either side of the discussion.
Be the person who presents the complete story, in a balanced and strategic way.
Showing both sides of the discussion will win you lots of credibility.
Good luck, and have a great day.
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Does your team:
– Overwhelm the audience with too much detail?
– Make things too complicated?
– Fail to ask for what they want or need?
Does your organization:
– Waste time because of poor internal communication?
– Take too long to make decisions?
– Struggle to clarify and frame discussions?
Do your leaders:
– Exhibit poor executive presence?
– Lean on incomplete communication skills?
– Fail to align the organization?
We transform teams and individuals with repeatable toolsets for persuasive communication. Explore training, coaching, and consulting services from The Latimer Group.
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